


The How-To Guide on Romance

by aimiichie



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, NaNoWriMo 2018, Oblivious Adrien Fic, Slow Burn, adrien is way to oblivious and precious to be real, buuuuut it will have a reveal in the end ;), my real how-to guide on romance ;), sorrynotsorry, you'll probably get frustrated at adrien...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-08-22 14:03:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16599275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aimiichie/pseuds/aimiichie
Summary: Contrary to what everyone believes, Adrien Agreste has absolutely no experience in the romance department. Follow him on his journey of love as he tries to woo the girl whose bluebell eyes have captured his heart and along the way, he may even discover there’s more to her than meets the eye.





	1. Lesson One: First Impressions

**The How-To Guide on Romance**

_Lesson 1: First Impressions_

 

 _Ahh, first impressions. They are important in all aspects of life but none more so than when you’re meeting a potential romantic partner. It is not uncommon for humans to judge others based off of their initial interactions with them, which makes the first meeting the utmost important. Everything from clothing style, to location, to even the weather may affect the way you initially view another person. With a positive first impression, you’ll find yourself progressing smoothly into a new relationship, building it slowly until it blooms into something, dare I say, miraculous. With a negative first impression however, you may find yourself working twice as hard to overcome that dreadful first meet. But never lose hope! You may find yourself leaving a longer-lasting impression than you ever thought possible_.

 

* * *

Adrien Agreste wasn’t your normal teenage boy.

Sure at fourteen years old, he enjoyed the normal things any teenage boy would like such as playing video games, watching movies, or even rock climbing whenever he had the free time.

But if you were to ask anyone in Paris to describe Adrien Agreste, he was actually far greater than your average boy; for Adrien Agreste was the son of famous Parisian fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste.

Gabriel Agreste was a rather mysterious man. Ever since his wife’s disappearance, Gabriel Agreste had never been the same. He became colder, harsher, more strict and rather overprotective of his son. As his only child, Adrien was kept at home for most of his life, never experiencing the freedom of what it meant to be a kid. For his entire life, Adrien Agreste had went through homeschooling, took lessons in piano, fencing, and basketball, as well as dabbled his studies in Chinese. He modeled for his father’s brand, Gabriel, and was a celebrity to the outside world; the world Adrien so longed to experience.

So when Adrien Agreste stumbled upon an opportunity to become something more, to finally break away from the confined world he lived in, he immediately took the chance and became one of Paris’s superheroes, Chat Noir.

Clad in a black textured catsuit and armed with the power of Destruction, Adrien Agreste thrived as Chat Noir. He felt the liberation he so longed to have whenever he gallivanted into the air, jumping from building to building, relishing in the cool breeze that hit his face. Donned with a mask, Adrien Agreste used Chat Noir to become everything he couldn’t be in his normal life: outgoing, playful, wilder, and most importantly, free.

But this isn’t a story about Adrien Agreste becoming a superhero or even overcoming his overprotective father.

Oh no.

This is a story about a sheltered young boy who all he ever wanted was for the girl he fell in love with to love him back.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for him, he will soon find out that the girl whose bluebell eyes have captured his heart may actually be closer than he ever thought possible.

* * *

“Plagg, Claws Out!”

A bright green light flashed from the black ring as he closed his eyes, allowing the transformation to overtake his entire body.

He grinned, looking down at his black suit and touching the almost-real cat-like ears that appeared on his head. He spread his hands out in front of him, inspecting the long black claws that extended out and he touched his face, a mask covering half of it.

“Plagg?” He spoke aloud, looking around for the black kwami that had appeared to change his life forever. But no response came. Adrien scrunched his eyes, looking toward the window in his room and back at the door that kept him a prisoner for so long.

“Well, might as well test out what this miraculous can do.”

He unhooked the staff that had magically appeared on his waistband. He clutched it tightly,  taking a small jump and finding himself almost weightless as he landed on the edge of his window. He looked down, two stories above ground. He jumped without a second thought.

“Wahoo!”

Adrien bellowed as he flew through the air, jumping high and low as he bounced from rooftop to rooftop, allowing his staff to propel himself even further above. He stretched out his arms, reaching up and almost touching the clouds that scattered across the Parisian skies. Adrien found himself laughing, finding the ears on top of his head perked at every sound that echoed throughout the afternoon streets of Paris. He breathed in the crisp air. Freedom. This was what freedom must taste like.

He landed on a rooftop, looking down at his hands and suit once more. He could definitely get used to this feeling. He looked between two buildings and the staff that lay in his hand. He smirked.

_Might as well have some fun while I can._

He extended his staff between the two buildings and hesitantly pressed his foot on it. Seeing it stand firm, he smiled. He took his first steps, balancing ever so slightly, one foot at a time, until he started walking normally as if it wasn’t a big deal he was balancing on a pole between two buildings, without a safety net to catch him if he fell. He spread out his arms to balance himself some more.

“I’m starting to get the hang of this.”

And as the words escaped his lips, he heard a scream from above. He looked up and he couldn’t prepare himself fast enough before a body crashed into his own, sending them both falling. He let out a loud yelp, closing his eyes for the impact, but something wrapped around his waist and he felt himself swinging, with another body tied to him instead. He shot open his eyes.

Blue.

He blinked.

Tied together by some sort of magic yo-yo?, Adrien found himself grinning mischievously at the red-clad girl, whose face held a sort of expression that mirrored a mixture of shock and regret.

He smirked as they swung upside down, swaying gently by the wind. “Nice of you to drop in.”

“S-sorry! I didn’t do it on purpose!”

Her voice seemed to echo the empty streets like soft chimes blowing in the wind. And as she unhooked her yo-yo from their waists and they plopped themselves back on solid ground, Adrien finally remembered who she must be.

Plagg had mentioned, mind him, very briefly about a partner that would work together with him to save Paris. And she must be his partner.

She looked to be his age. Like his black catlike suit, hers had a sort of Ladybug-like quality to it: red with black spots donning her entire body. A yo-yo, like his staff, was attached to her hip. And a red and black polka-dotted mask covered her face. With dark hair tied in pigtails, her large blue eyes completed her look.

A pretty blue.

After proudly introducing himself as Chat Noir, Adrien felt incredibly lucky to have this opportunity to fight crime with a partner by his side.

Until her yo-yo crashed on his head, leaving a rather large red bump in its place.

His first impression from his partner was that she was definitely clumsy and unsure of her every action.

But he would soon find out this girl in front of him would end up being far more than just that. She would be crazy, insane, and everything he could have ever wanted in a girl and more.

* * *

Growing up, all Adrien ever wanted was friends.

Being home schooled all his life didn’t help with his situation at all. In fact, he was lucky he even had one by the name of Chloé Bourgeois, the mayor's daughter. Though lucky might be an overstatement.

Don’t get him wrong. Chloé will always be his first friend, a girl who’s been with and supporting him since they were little and despite her...behavior, he knew deep down she was a genuine and passionate person.

But no one could blame him that he wanted more. To be a regular teenage boy for once. And experience a life worth living.

So when he got the chance, Adrien did everything he could to escape his home schooled prison and attend real public school instead. He definitely could have thought his plan out more, rather than just running away at every opportunity he got to try and make it to classes before his dad’s assistant and bodyguard caught him in time. But at least he tried. Because, as they say, try, try, and try again, until you eventually succeed. And he did.

Walking the corridors of Collège François Dupont, with Chloé was a lot different than he imagined. It’s always embarrassing to him to see people’s eyes widen whenever he walks into a room or god forbid, when someone asks for his autograph. He doesn’t blame his Father for his unforseen fame. But he sometimes wished he wasn’t as popular as other kids.

Chloé seemed to enjoy her time with him though, so for today, he would go along with whatever she had planned. She definitely knew a lot more about school than he did anyway.

There was a sense of giddiness that fluttered through his stomach, as Chloé showed him his seat for the year, right in the front row next to a dark-skinned boy. He smiled. His first attempt at making a new friend.

“H-Hey,” he stuck his hand out. “Adrien.”

The boy’s brown eyes trailed him up and down for a few moments and Adrien felt his heart race slightly. “Hey...so you’re friends with Chloé then, huh?”

Not the response he was looking for, but as his desk mate’s eyes shifted over him, he turned and watched as Chloé and her friend placed used gum on the seats across from him.

"Hey, what’s that all about?”

Adrien always knew Chloé was a bit...spoiled and mostly did whatever she wanted to whomever she wanted. But putting gum on another person’s chair? Although she said it was because she had to claim back her respect, it didn’t sit right to him.

He stood up and looked down at the pink gum, grimacing a little as he gently poked it, seeing if it was loose enough to scrape off. If this was the school life Chloé wanted him to experience, he didn’t like it.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”

He quickly got up from the ground and came face to face with a girl a head shorter than him. Although smaller, she had a fierce demeanor that overpowered his own. His eyes widened at what it must’ve looked like to her.

“No! I-I wasn’t—“

But there was no point in arguing back.

As she placed her hands on her hips, her blue eyes narrowed angrily, refusing to listen to anything he had to say.

His first impression from the girl that stood defiantly before him was intimidating.

But he would soon discover later that day, as rain drenched the streets of Paris, that this girl in front of him was far more than just that. She would be kind, shy, patient and would be willing to give him a second chance. More importantly, she would end up becoming his first real friend.

* * *

Adrien thought of himself lucky to have met two wonderful and amazing girls in such a short period of time since escaping his past life.

He was glad his first initial interactions with them ended up creating a relationship that he hoped would blossom into something more. Love for one, friendship for the other.

He just hoped they also felt the same way as him.


	2. Lesson 2: Getting to Know Your Partner

** The How-To Guide on Romance  
** _Lesson 2: Getting to Know Your Partner_

 _  
_   
_At last, you have successfully created a positive first impression of yourself in front of the person you are interested in pursuing. Bravo to you! However, from here on out, you will find yourself having to work harder than you’ve ever imagined to keep your newfound relationship afloat. But don’t you worry. These next few lessons will be here to help guide you, so by the time you’re finished reading this book, you’ll have a partner who loves you just as much as you love them.  
  
With every relationship, be it friendship or romantic, it’s important to spend time getting to know your partner. Whether you are in a pursuit of a relationship or have been married for ten years, there’s always something new to learn about your partner. To the big things like understanding their family dynamics, learning about their childhood, or listening to their hobbies; to the little things like understanding the signals of when they’re stressed, knowing when a comforting hug is needed or even paying attention to how they like to eat pastries at a particular patisserie; are examples of how important it is to spend time knowing your partner.   
  
_ _The more you know, the more intimate and connected your relationship becomes. Love cannot be built without first understanding the_ **who** you are in love with. You don’t have to know **everything** about your partner. But, it is always fun to discover those little secrets about them that make you fall in love all over again. 

 

* * *

  
  
“Plagg, what should I do?”   
  
His black kwami slowly turned his head, clutching his cheese in his paw. “About what?”   
  
“About Ladybug.”   
  
Plagg rolled his green eyes. “I say, forget the girl and find yourself a nice roll of cheese to love instead,” the black kwami smiled, throwing his camembert in the air and catching it in his mouth. He purred as he munched on his cheese. “They’re much more lovable, uncomplicated, and never fail to fill your belly with yummy goodness!”   
  
Adrien shook his head, smiling slightly at the absurdity that was his kwami and walked over to his window, peering out into the evening streets of Paris. He closed his eyes as a beautiful pair of bluebell eyes enraptured his mind. He felt his lips curve upward. “I can’t stop thinking about her, Plagg.”   
  
“I don’t understand you humans,” Plagg mumbled, swirling around the computer as he stared up at the images from the Ladyblog Adrien had been staring at, not moments ago. “How can you be in love with Ladybug if you don’t even know who she really is?”   
  
“You know nothing about love.”   
  
“And you do?” Plagg scoffed back, his antennae raised in question.   
  
“I know enough to know that I love her.”   
  
Plagg let out a gag, floating over to his chosen with a disgusted look on his face. “Gross. If I knew you were going to be a lovesick fool, I would’ve reconsidered my decision to choose you as my chosen.”   
  
Adrien turned to his kwami and chuckled a bit before reaching over and patting him on the head. “I can’t help it, Plagg. She’s just...everything.”   
  
“Yeah yeah yeah,” Plagg rolled his eyes before he flicked his tail at the clock hanging on the wall. “Just transform already so you can meet with your so-called lover for patrol.”   
  
Adrien grinned, throwing his hand out. “Plagg, Claws Out!”   
  
No matter how often Adrien transformed, he would never get tired of the freedom he instantly felt as Chat Noir. He grinned, smirking at himself as he stared at his reflection from his window panes, before leaping forward and flying across Paris.   
  
He breathed in the cool air, relishing in the cold wind that was telling him Autumn was approaching. He swung his staff over his head, sailing further into the air as he quickly made his way toward the Eiffel Tower, the place where his partner was waiting for him.   
  
Adrien could only describe himself as a boy hopelessly in love. What he initially thought of his partner when he first met her was nothing compared to who she really was. Brave, intelligent, headstrong, compassionate, selfless, amazing, beautiful; need he go on?   
_  
She was just perfect. _   
  
As perfect as a girl could possibly be.   
  
Which made it difficult for him to show how much she actually means to him. There weren’t enough words in the human language to express his love. Not enough gifts to shower her with to prove how much he‘s thankful for her. And even if he could give her the world, it wasn’t big enough to display how much he cared about her.   
  
He was, thus, doomed.   
  
“Hey, Chat.”   
  
Wow...just her sweet euphonious voice alone could send himself on a flurry of pure bliss.   
  
“M’lady.” He found himself smiling, pouncing over to place a kiss on his lady’s hand, but she quickly shook her head, instantly taking a step away from him.   
  
“Nu-uh, Kitty. We have a patrol to do.”   
_  
_ _Always the professional._   
  
Adrien shook his head, taking a moment to stare into those addicting bluebell eyes, before giving her a sly grin. “One day you’ll be begging for my kisses, M’lady. And when that day comes, you’ll realize how much of a cat-ch I really am!”   
  
She slowly blinked those pretty blue pearls, before letting out a choked chuckle, her hard snort echoing loudly into the quiet night. Her laughter sent warm tingles flying through his body. He felt himself floating, and if this was what Cloud 9 felt like, he wished he could never leave.   
  
He found himself joining in her laughter, they’re euphoria of a rather lame joke, affecting them far more than they would admit, before she gave a satisfied smile in his direction. “Oh for kwami’s sake, Chat...what am I ever going to do with you?” She didn’t wait for a response before she threw her yo-yo out, swinging herself across the Parisian skyline to start their weekly patrol.   
  
As her red suit streaked the darkening hues of the night, Adrien couldn’t help but swoon slowly, feeling the muscles in his knees give way as he took a moment to sink himself onto the beams of the Tower.   
  
One thing he found himself learning about her was how much she found his puns silly.   
  
He admits, some of them were pretty clawful...but if it could make her laugh or smile in some way, it would always be a win fur him. Oh, how he could stare at her puurfect laughing face furever. And he especially loved getting to laugh with her.   
  
He grinned to himself, before picking himself up from the ground and following after her; already looking forward to the next thing he’d learn about her.   


* * *

  
  
“Father?” He called out, his hand positioning on the front door. He looked up to the staircase, listening closely for any sound, but after hearing nothing, he sighed and headed out the door, climbing into the car and waving at Gorilla to head to school.   
  
He felt Plagg nudge his chest slightly, but Adrien ignored him and looked out the window instead. Adrien wasn’t surprised in the slightest at his Father’s recent behavior. Ever since his mother disappeared, his Father has barely spent time with him, let alone actually leave the mansion. It constantly hurt, but he was glad he got to go to school. At least this way he never has to feel alone with nothing to do anymore.   
  
As Gorilla slowly pulled up to the front of the school, Adrien found himself smiling as he noticed his friends chilling outside the entrance. He nodded a ‘thank you’ in Gorilla’s direction as he opened the door to his car, immediately catching the attention of his friends.   
  
“Yo, dude!”   
  
Adrien grinned, closing the door to the car quickly as he made his way over to Nino. “Hey!” He held out his fist and the two bumped their knuckles together with a small chuckle.   
  
After his first day at Collège Français Dupont, Nino had instantly promoted himself to best friend status. They connected almost instantly after the whole ‘gum’ incident and he couldn’t be happier having an actual guy friend to talk nonsense with. He turned his head and smiled at the two girls next to Nino.   
  
Alya, another new student in Miss Bustier’s class and a feisty one at that, smiled in return. “Hey, Adrien.”   
  
He nodded his head happily before turning his attention to the girl shrinking back next to her.  “Hey, Marinette,” he smiled, waving his hand in greeting. He blinked awkwardly as his words caused her cheeks to glow a bright red.   
  
“A-Adrien! Mo-morning good! I-I mean good hey! I-I mean good m-morning, hey!”   
  
He chuckled softly, feeling his hand rubbing the back of his neck. Ever since, what he called, ‘the umbrella incident’, Marinette had started acting like a completely different person than what he originally thought she was.   
  
When he first met her, she was fierce and determined, not afraid to speak her mind, but after he apologized on that rainy day, he just couldn’t help but wonder if he did something wrong? Sure, he _thinks_  she accepted his apology that day. After all, she did accept his umbrella and seemed to not be mad at him once he left. But she did change after that day.   
  
Whenever she was around him, she always tended to get flustered, stammering a lot, even tripping over herself more often than usual. And trust him; he’s seen how clumsy she can be outside of his interactions. Her small injuries seemed to multiply when he was nearby. He just can’t help but wonder if he was at fault, though. She’s still his first real friend, despite her hesitant behavior now. He just hoped it wasn’t because of his need for friendship that might be coming off too strong that caused her to change his behavior around him.   
  
“Let’s head to class?”   
  
“Sure.”   
  
As Adrien made his way into the school, he waved at Chloé who seemed to be pouting in the corner of the courtyard. She hadn’t been too happy with him after he mentioned his rekindling of friendship with Marinette, something he still didn’t quite understand. He knew they had a rather...odd relationship with each other, seeing as they were classmates for four years in a row, but he didn’t want to question it as he didn’t want to dwell on something that he knew nothing about.   
  
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”   
  
They paused as Chloé made her way over to them, Sabrina following in tow. Adrien took a glance between the two, his eyebrow slightly raised.   
  
“What do you want, Chloé?”   
  
Adrien felt himself frowning slightly, seeing the familiar defiance she gave off when she first met him. Why was it she didn’t stutter in front of Chloé, but she did for him? Maybe it really _was_  something he was doing wrong? Or maybe she was just strong headed in front of the people she dislikes?   
  
“You should remember your place!” Chloé growled, crossing her arms in front of her, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder. Sabrina nodded her head pointing at the group. “Yeah!”   
  
Alya rolled her eyes. “Please, Chloé. It’s too early in the morning to deal with your antics yet again,” she placed a hand on Marinette’s shoulder. “Isn’t this whole thing getting slightly repetitive and boring for you?”   
  
“Umm, did I say you can talk to me, New Girl? You are irrelevant to this conversation. Thank you, bye.”   
  
From the corner of his eye, Adrien noticed Alya narrowing her eyes. He blinked, shaking his head slightly at the mess Chloé was causing yet again. He loved her, but she still needed to learn a few things about what it means to be _nice_. He opened his mouth to prevent a fight from happening, but a voice beat him to it. He felt his eyes widen slightly.   
  
“Her name is Alya, Chloé. I know you know that. So please, don’t pretend like you don’t know her and treat her with respect. And honestly, I would also like to stop whatever it is you keep doing every morning. I know you’re still mad about the whole switching seats incident, but it’s been two weeks already. Let it go.”   
  
One thing he found himself learning about Marinette was how protective she was over her friends.   
  
He could see how much she cared about the people around her. Whether it be checking up on Ivan days after his akumatization, helping Nathaniel with his frequent art blocks, or even standing up to Chloé like right now, even when he could see her shaking slightly.   
  
He truly admired her. She was the definition of what a ‘friend’ should be and how a friend should act. He found himself taking notes.   
  
Marinette was amazing.   
  
He was looking forward to the next thing he’d learn from her in being a good friend.


	3. Lesson 3: Communication

** The How-To Guide on Romance ** ****  
_Lesson 3: Communication  
_   
_ The key to any long-lasting relationship is communication. Being able to openly and honestly share your thoughts and feelings with a partner is what allows your relationship to succeed in the long run. So, make time for your partner! Share your day, your hopes and dreams, your frustrations, and your accomplishments! Tell them what’s on your mind and let them tell you what’s on theirs.   
  
Remember: It takes two to tango; communication happens between two people. Keeping in mind that everyone communicates differently, you and your potential partner must be able to understand and work together to build the mutual trust and respect you have for each other.   
  
_ _The lack of communication can mean the end to any relationship, but if you both are willing and ready to work at your communication between each other, any relationship can improve; even if the solution means the end of an era. Because if you aren’t able to communicate well with your partner...maybe your partnership just wasn’t meant to be in the first place_.   


* * *

  
  
“Chat Noir! The akuma is in his back pocket!”   
  
“Got it, M’lady!”   
  
Their battle was like clockwork; Ladybug used her lucky charm, quickly finding a solution and telling Chat Noir what to do. Usually a cataclysm was needed here and there but today, Adrien was happy his Lady’s plan didn’t require it.    
  
The Destruction power he was bestowed upon by his miraculous was something he still was getting used to. Although he could see the benefits of destroying an object or even manipulating a building to work in his favor perhaps, there was always that nagging thought in the back of his mind of ‘what would happen if he destroyed the wrong thing? Or even worse, cataclysm’ed a person?’    
  
Those thoughts always disappeared however in the moment of battle because with his Lady right there next to him, he never had to worry.   
  
Their teamwork since being Ladybug and Chat Noir were unmatched; they always knew what each other wanted and needed, and he was confident that there wasn’t going to be an akuma that Hawk Moth created that could defeat them. Despite only knowing each other for so long, it was like his Lady was always present in his life.   
  
And he loved that about her even more.   
  
“Bye bye little butterfly!”   
  
“Pound it!”   
  
Adrien smiled at his Lady, as they quickly ran off from the approaching crowds, all wanting an interview or autograph from Paris’s new superheroes. It was something Adrien was used to as himself but as Chat Noir, he liked the freedom of running off and not being afraid of being followed from such paparazzi.    
  
“Good work today, Chat.” They paused on a rooftop, her miraculous giving off its first beep.    
  
“You too, M’lady. You were purrfect as always,” he smiled, bowing dramatically in front of her. He couldn’t help but let out a wider grin, hearing her giggle echo into the air.    
  
“Oh, Chat,” she brought her hand to her earring as it let out a second beep. “It’s time for me to bug off though.”   
  
As she twirled her yo-yo to prepare herself to go, Adrien couldn’t help but grab her hand to stop her. She looked up at him, confusion growing on her beautiful features.    
  
“Please don’t go, M’lady.”   
  
He couldn’t help himself. He had to tell her.    
  
“What are you talking about, Chat?”   
  
“Stay, please. I won’t tell anyone who you are. Cat’s honor.”   
  
Ladybug stared at him, her bright bluebell eyes for once losing the distinct shine he always loved about her. She gave him a sad smile. “Nobody must know who we really are, Chat. You know this.”   
  
“I know, M’lady. But,” he grabbed onto both her hands tightly. “It’s just me.”   
  
Adrien felt her squeeze his hands. “I know, Chat. But even we can’t know who we really are. It’s for the best.”   
  
“The best for who?”   
  
Ladybug looked down, removing her hands from his as her third beep rang into the air. “You know if Hawk Moth ever found out about our identities, everyone we know and love would be in danger.”   
  
“We can deal with that when the time actually comes! We’re a team, we can handle anything.”   
  
“You don’t know that, Chat.”   
  
“My Lady,” he let out a groan, trying whatever he could to communicate his desires. But his Lady just wouldn’t listen.    
  
“We’ll talk about this later, Chat. W-we can’t right now.” She gave him a small frown, before she quickly tossed her yo-yo out, disappearing just as her fourth beep rang throughout the now cold air.   
  
Adrien sighed, looking down at his black leather-like suit. He closed his eyes.    
  
“Plagg, Claws In.”   
  
As his black kwami swirled back into the air, he couldn’t help but sink slowly onto the ground.    
  
“Aww, is the Kid mopey just because the love of his life didn’t want to share her secret identity?”   
  
“Shut it, Plagg.”   
  
His black kwami snorted loudly into the air before landing softly on his shoulder. “Look, I’m all for you guys knowing each other’s identity, but gotta hand it to her, Kid. She is right in some sense.”   
  
“I know that, Plagg. It’s just…” he let out long sigh, looking out toward the city line of Paris. “I wish we could hang out outside of akuma battles, you know? Talk to each other without having to worry about a time limit or get to know each other without a mask. I wish we never had to deal with secrets.”   
  
As his kwami rubbed his face against his cheek, an action that Adrien much appreciated, he was quickly coming into terms that being a cat in love was more difficult than he could have ever imagined.    
  
Though they were a team, communicating in ways that no other human could compete with, they still knew so little about each other. They would never be able to communicate with each other the way he wanted to; never knowing who she really was while Hawk Moth reigned over Paris.    
  
They trusted each other with their physical lives, sure. But Adrien wanted them to be able to trust each other with their emotional lives as well. He wanted to share his world with her, and for her to share hers with him.   
  
And he didn’t know if it will ever be possible as long as their masks covered their real desires.   
  


* * *

  
  
He tried.    
  
He really tried.    
  
But no matter what he did or what he said, Marinette Dupain-Cheng just did _not_  want anything to do with him.    
  
As he opened his locker door, he peered to his left; the dark-haired girl talking animatedly to Alya, her small hands waving back and forth in the air.   
  
He frowned, reaching into the back of his locker to unhook his blue scarf before closing his locker door with a loud slam.   
  
“Woah, easy there. What’s up with you, my dude?”   
  
“N-nothing,” he shook his head as he wrapped his blue scarf around his neck.   
  
Nino raised his brow, looking around the locker room for what might’ve concerned the usually content Adrien Agreste but couldn’t see anything out of place. He gave the model a small look. “If it’s your dad again—“   
  
Adrien immediately shook his head, reaching up to touch his scarf. “No no. It’s not him. He’s been fine since my birthday last week.”   
  
“Oh, then what’s got you so weird?”   
  
He felt himself furrow his brows. As they made their way out of the locker room, Adrien took one last glance behind him, not taking into account that Marinette could stare back at him. He watched as Marinette’s eyes traveled down his neck and when their eyes finally met, her face flushed red. She turned her head quickly, going back to listening to what Alya was saying, but by her expression on her face, Adrien could tell she wasn’t listening anymore.    
  
He tilted his head, frowning once more before following after Nino.    
  
_ He just didn’t understand her.   
_   
“H-hey, Nino?”   
  
The dark-skinned boy tilted his head to him, fixing his cap a bit, as they made their way outside of the school.   
  
“Does Mar—“ Adrien shook his head.   
  
_ He couldn’t outright ask that. He was probably overthinking things.   
_   
He decided to swerve his question a bit. “Am I a bad friend?”    
  
Nino stopped at the end of the courtyard, quickly putting his full attention on him. “A bad friend?” His eyes scrunched together. “Why’re you asking that?”   
  
“Just,” Adrien sighed, looking back towards the locker doors. “I’ve never really had friends before, so I’m still kind of confused on how to be a good one.”   
  
Nino stared blankly at him for a few moments, before shaking his head, smiling as he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Adrien, you’re my best bud for a reason. I don’t become friends with just anyone,” he shot him a wink. “But why do you think you’re not a good friend? Did something happen?”   
  
Not wanting to mention Marinette’s name specifically, Adrien shook his head.  “No no. It’s,” he paused, pursing his lips slightly. “Well, being homeschooled for so long, I guess it’s hard to tell how well I’m doing, you know?” They stood off to the side of the school; Adrien keeping an eye out for his bodyguard to take him to an afternoon photo shoot Nathalie informed him about earlier this morning.    
  
He took a breath.    
  
“You know Chloé has been my only friend before coming here,” he began.   
  
Nino let out a laugh. “Still hard to believe your friends with her.”   
  
He felt himself wince a bit. “Chloé isn’t that bad. She’s been there for me for years; she’s just…” his voice trailed off.    
  
Nino scoffed in agreement. “Exactly,” he chuckled, “but do, go on.”   
  
Adrien smiled slightly, punching his friend lightly on the arm. “Sometimes I just wonder if I’m doing a good enough job _being_  a friend, I guess? To you, to Alya, to even Marinette?”   
  
His friend gave him a small smile. “Adrien, don’t sweat it. Our class loves you,” he gave him a pat on the back. “Just keep being yourself.”   
  
Adrien returned his smile. “Means a lot, Nino.” He held out his fist and their knuckles pressed together. Nino grinned just as he caught Alya and Marinette making their way out from the courtyard; he gave him a smirk.    
  
“Hey dudettes!”    
  
Adrien quickly turned his head, letting out a small cough as he watched the two girls make their way over to them; Nino laughing slightly in the back. Adrien attempted a smile, but it felt forced.   
  
“Ladies, please let Adrien know that he’s a good friend,” Nino announced once they had joined them on the steps of the school. Adrien narrowed his eyes at him.    
  
“A good friend?” Alya’s brow raised, looking between the two boys in confusion. “Why? Did someone say you weren’t?”   
  
Adrien opened his mouth to say something, but Nino cut him off with a wink. “Nah, he’s just worried he isn’t being a good friend to you guys.”   
  
“Nino…” he whispered softly, but his friend ignored him.    
  
“Well, if our opinions matter then yes, Mr. Model. You’ve been a good friend so far,” Alya chuckled, turning her head towards Marinette. “To me anyway. What do you think, Marinette?”   
  
Adrien’s attention immediately turned towards hers; silently watching as Marinette’s face bloomed red once more.    
  
“W-What? M-me?”   
  
“Yes, you girl!”   
  
Adrien found himself frowning slightly at her reluctance in answering. He shot Nino an irritated look. “I-It’s okay, Marinette. You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to. I understand.” He brushed his hand behind the back of his neck. “I know I have a lot of work to do to be a good friend like you, for example.”   
  
Marinette’s mouth dropped slightly. “W-What? L-like me?”   
  
Adrien smiled at her. “Yeah.” He sighed, running his hand through his blond hair a bit. “I just wondered whether or not I was doing a good job as well, you know?”   
  
“You’re definitely not doing a good job!” Marinette quickly stammered, trying her best to comfort him. The group’s eyes widened, as her words slowly sank into the afternoon air. Marinette let out a gasp. “Wait, n-no! You’re not a good friend!” Her eyes immediately widened more, shaking her hands out. “Wait, n-no! I meant you’re not _not_  a good friend! Or wait, yes you’re not a friend! I mean! You’re a friend? Not that I want to be your friend? I mean, I want to be more than friends? I mean, yes! No! Ugh!”   
  
They stood in silence as Marinette buried her face into her hands, her ears growing redder by the second. Nino and Alya let out a combined laugh; Alya patting the girl on her back. Adrien blinked slowly, trying to comprehend what had just came out of the petite girl’s mouth before Marinette lifted her head.    
  
As green met blue, Marinette blinked slowly, her eyes glittering with embarrassment. She swallowed, before her pink lips curved upward, her blush slowly fading from her cheeks.   
  
Although no words had been exchanged, Adrien had his answer from her.    
  
What he was quickly learning about Marinette is the way she communicated. Unlike his friendship with Nino, or even with Alya, Marinette communicated completely differently than them. While they could easily communicate through words, Marinette, he found, communicated through her actions.   
  
Though she stuttered when she spoke to him and more often than not, said things that didn’t make any sense, just her smile alone could let him know what she was really thinking. Although it was something he wasn’t quite used to yet, at least he now knew: Marinette thought he was doing a good job at being a friend.   
  
Maybe he didn’t have to worry about his friendship with her after all; the thought itself made him smile, just as the Gorilla pulled up to the front of the school.   
  
As he opened the car door, he turned around, waving his friend’s goodbye. Marinette continued to smile in his direction. He truly did wonder how he went so long without friends like her in his life. 


	4. Lesson 4: Family

**The How-To Guide on Romance**  
_Lesson 4: Family  
_  
_When it comes to building a strong relationship with your future partner, family approval is an aspect in your relationship that may get overlooked. If you find yourself disagreeing with the way your family treats your partner, it will cause detrimental effects to not only your relationship with your beloved, but with your family as well. Especially in a serious relationship where you wish to spend the rest of your life with that person, familial disagreements can take a dark toll over any relationship._  
  
_Likewise, if your partner has trouble interacting or befriending your family, it may become difficult as your relationship progresses. You may find yourself facing a partner who ends up constantly having to prove themselves worthy of your family’s approval; creating resentment that may affect your relationship in the long run._  
  
_So, remember to communicate not just with your partner, but with your family as well. If they don’t like your partner, try to discover the reasons why. They may have a good reason too after all_...

* * *

  
The snow trickled down onto Paris in soft waves of white wonder.  
  
Adrien grinned at the sight, opening his mouth to catch the dropping flakes, chuckling as the snow immediately melted on his tongue.  
  
“Chat, are you done?”  
  
His masked face turned, smiling at the gorgeous girl in front of him. Amongst the white terrain, my did she look ravishing.  
  
He always did love a lady in red.  
  
“I’m just enjoying the first snowfall of the season, M’lady!”  
  
Ladybug rolled her bluebell eyes, turning away from him as she stared back out into the city. Adrien smiled, before opening his mouth up again to catch the falling snowflakes once more.  
  
Winter for Adrien was more often than not spent indoors; bathed in artificial warmth by the heaters that were always on full blast in his home. But as Chat Noir, he found himself enjoying the colder weather; exploring and finding peace outside where, though the weather was bitter against part of his exposed face, he never felt authentically warmer. Especially while he patrolled with his Lady.  
  
“Well, I’m getting cold, Chaton. Even with our suits protecting us a bit, I’d rather be home, drinking hot chocolate with my family than be out here.”  
  
“Not even if it’s to spend time with your lonely cat?”  
  
Ladybug’s small laugh echoed out amongst the silent night. “I don’t own a cat,” she winked, before reaching out and flicking the bell that lay around his neck.  
  
Adrien let out a purr, shuffling his way before throwing an arm around his red-spotted bug. “You own me, M’lady. I’m the only cat you’ll ever need in your lifetime.”  
  
“Sure. Let’s go with that, Chaton,” Ladybug giggled, placing her finger on top of his nose and successfully pushing him off of her. “But, please? Can we finish patrol? You can admire the snowfall after.”  
  
“Alright, alright. Fine. Only because I don’t want my Lady to be freezing on my account.”  
  
The two heroes whizzed around the streets of Paris, their eyes peered out into the misty darkness for any signs of trouble. Other than the couple of almost car accidents as tires skidded dangerously along the frozen roads, all was well.  
  
They ended their patrol by landing precariously on the edge of the Eiffel Tower, wobbling a bit as their feet slipped on thin ice.  
  
“Woah, be careful, M’lady. Don’t want you injured before Christmas!”  
  
“I could say the same to you, Chat.”  
  
Adrien chuckled before plopping himself on the edge of the tower. He peered out, his lips curving into a wide smile as he watched white snow blanket itself on his city. It was like he was staring into a snow globe; peering down into the misty glass as snowflakes settled itself all around them. Glistening and pure; he was truly staring at a winter wonderland.  
  
“Can you even believe this is our lives now, M’lady? Never in my wildest dreams I thought I’d be able to see Paris like this.”  
  
Ladybug stared out into the city with him, smiling to herself as she carefully took a seat next to him. “Yeah, it’s really beautiful.”  
  
He took a glance at her, watching as her warm breath blew out into the cold air. Her small nose was turning slightly red, her cheeks blooming softly as well. “It’s not the only beautiful thing tonight, M’lady.”  
  
As bluebell eyes shifted to his, Adrien couldn’t help but turn away, his cheeks flushing at the words that had just escaped his lips. “Will you always be a flirt, Chaton?”  
  
“Only to purretty girls like you.”  
  
He heard her chuckle, before he felt a body lean onto his. He froze, quite literally, as his lady nestled her head against his neck. “Though I can’t stand your flirts and puns sometimes, I’m happy I get to experience this all with someone like you, Chat.”  
  
His heartbeat quickened as he blinked his green eyes beneath his mask. Never before has he experienced such warmth in his life. His body felt like it was on flames; sizzling and licking inside his skin, where even the falling snow wouldn’t be able to quench such heat. “M-Me too, M’lady.”  
  
They stayed in that position for exactly 124 seconds, but who was counting really; definitely not Adrien. He sighed, trying his best to resist the urge to grab hold onto his Lady’s hand that was outstretched next to his.  
  
“What’s wrong, Chat?”  
  
“N-Nothing,” he found himself choking at her sudden question. “Nothing.”  
  
She shifted off of his shoulder, a gesture in which he bit back a protesting whine, and peered closely at him. He tried his best not to lean in to count the adorable freckles that shimmered around her nose. Did his Lady always have freckles?  
  
“I’m not keeping you from your family, am I? The holidays are usually when my parents tend to want to hang out with me more.” She took a glance around and frowned slightly. “They’ll probably be looking for me soon actually.”  
  
Adrien felt the ears on top of his head droop. “I-I’m fine, M’lady. My Fat--family won’t be worried about me for a long while.” He couldn’t help but release the distaste for the holidays he was so desperately trying to hide.  
  
“O-oh. I’m sorry, Chat.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Your family doesn’t like the holidays?”  
  
“No, it’s not that. I-It’s nothing really.” He shook his head, giving a small smile to her. “But tell me about yours.” He didn’t want to talk about himself right now. “Or at least whatever you can tell me without revealing too much.”  
  
Ladybug pursed her pink lips. He couldn’t help but gulp as the rush of heat he felt moments before came back, burning him from the inside out.  
  
“Well, without revealing anything too personal, my family loves to...give during the holidays. We spend a lot of time together too. On Christmas, my mama cooks up a storm and we eat together as a family. We also exchange presents right after dinner and play games together before we fall asleep.”  
  
Adrien found himself smiling. “Sounds like fun. Your family sounds amazing.”  
  
“Yes. They really are,” Ladybug smiled with him. As she stared for a few seconds into his green eyes, her hand moved to grab onto his. “I-I think they’d like you too. If you ever get a chance to meet them in person, they’d probably freak. My papa is a huge fan of yours.”  
  
“Oh, really?” Adrien found his entire body purring, not just because his Lady was holding his hand voluntarily for the first time.  
  
“Yeah,” Ladybug gave his hand a squeeze. “Maybe one day, it’ll happen.” She answered, giving him a small smile.  
  
“One day…”  
  
As their words echoed into the night, Adrien couldn’t help but wish for this warm winter night to last forever. But, it wasn’t his reality and soon, his Lady had to leave.  
  
“Happy Holidays, Chaton. I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas!”  
  
Adrien found himself shivering, her comforting warmth that had burned his entire body finally extinguishing. He gave her a sad smile.  
  
“And happy holidays to you, M’lady. I-I hope you enjoy your time with your family.”  
  
He watched her go, her red suit streaking bright against the white snow. He turned away, taking out his staff and twirling it twice in his hands before sighing.  
  
_Back to his cold home. Maybe Father will actually want to do something with him this time._

* * *

  
A soft knock on his door woke him up from his slumber.  
  
“Adrien? Are you awake?”  
  
He gave a loud yawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He waited as a black blur flew underneath his pillow before he spoke. “Just got up, Nathalie,” he called out.  
  
The door to his room opened and Adrien quickly sat up from his bed, looking at his Father’s assistant with a tired expression. “Mr. Agreste wishes to see you as soon as you finish getting ready.”  
  
Green eyes immediately widened. “M-my Father?”  
  
“Yes. Because of your friend’s visitation yesterday night as well as your rather long absence during the day, Mr. Agreste wishes to spend a bit of time with you to celebrate the holidays,” Nathalie gave him a small smile before turning back around to exit his room. “He’ll be waiting for you in the dining room where you both will have breakfast.”  
  
Once the door shut behind her, Adrien felt himself more wide awake than ever.  
  
He turned toward his pillow, smiling as Plagg’s bright green eyes gleamed back at him. “Did you hear that, Plagg? Father actually wishes to celebrate Christmas with me!”  
  
“Wasn’t Christmas yesterday?”  
  
Adrien rolled his eyes as he got up from his bed, making his way to his bathroom to get ready. “Yes. It was yesterday, Plagg. Because of everything that happened, I can’t believe Father still wishes to spend time with me today!”  
  
“Yeah...your father was always a stick in the mud,” Plagg murmured back, hovering next to his chosen as he brushed his teeth. “But you know what sounds even better?”  
  
“What, Plagg?”  
  
“A nice roll of holiday cheese in the morning! Got anymore left?”  
  
Adrien just shook his head and quickly left the bathroom, leaving a whining kwami in his place.  
  
As Adrien descended the stairs to the dining room, he felt his heartbeat quicken. Although he was excited to spend the day with his Father, he realized in that moment that they haven’t spent much time together; just the two of them at least.  
  
He turned around, facing the portrait of them; a portrait taken a little less than a month after his mother disappeared. Adrien always hated that portrait, but his Father somehow loved it. In his opinion, it was too gloomy and rigid; the two men displayed no smiles, and it was strange for a portrait like this to be in full display in the front of the foyer. It made his home feel less like a home and more like a constant reminder of the warmth that’s missing in both their lives now.  
  
“Adrien?”  
  
He jumped, looking quickly down as Nathalie raised her brows to him from the bottom of the steps. “Mr. Agreste is waiting for you. Please hurry before your breakfast gets cold.”  
  
“O-Okay. Coming down now.” Shaking his head from the image of their portrait, he bounded down the stairs, giving a small nod as he passed Nathalie.  
  
He took a deep breath before pushing open the doors to the dining room.  
  
It was quiet; the only sound coming from soft taps on a screen. His Father looked to be seemingly perusing a sketch of his designs in front of him. His breakfast lay out on his normal seat. Seeing as his Father didn’t make any attempt to acknowledge his presence, he cleared his throat. “G-Good morning, Father.”  
  
“Good morning, Adrien.”  
  
Adrien looked down, quickly taking his seat.  
  
_His Father didn’t even bother to look up at him._  
  
He twiddled his thumbs, opening his mouth but closing it right back up. He gave a soft sigh before turning to the food on his table. His eyes widened.  
  
“Quickly eat your breakfast. It is probably cold at this point.”  
  
“F-Father, is this--”  
  
“Once you’re done, we’ll move to my office.”  
  
Adrien stared down at his food before giving a wide smile to him. He nodded happily, before quickly picking up the lukewarm croissant and biting into it. He couldn’t hold back the soft moan that escaped his lips.  
  
“Be quiet when you eat, Adrien. It is unbecoming for a man like yourself to react to food in such a disgraceful way.”  
  
He quickly swallowed, giving his Father a grin. “Of course, Father.”  
  
Gabriel Agreste peered up from his tablet, his eyes narrowing slightly at the pastries in front of his son. He cleared his throat. “Because it was the holiday season, I allowed our chefs to spend their times at home. Your breakfast was leftovers from the Christmas dinner last night with your...friends.”  
  
Adrien continued to smile, biting into a pain au chocolat instead.  
  
Gabriel continued. “The pastries your friend had brought over were rather satisfactory last night. I decided they’d be fine to eat this morning.”  
  
“They are very good,” Adrien finally responded, licking his lips from the chocolate that had leaked its way out of the pastry.  
  
Gabriel gave a small sigh before he dropped his tablet onto the table. Adrien immediately locked eyes with his Father who seemed to be having an internal debate inside his head.  
  
“I-Is everything alright, Father?”  
  
“I was,” Gabriel paused, scrunching his brows together a bit before he looked back down to the table. “I was worried about you at first, Adrien.”  
  
“Worried?”  
  
Gabriel let out a sigh. “Yes. Ever since your mother…” he gave a shake of his head, turning away to look at the portrait of the three of them that hung in the room. “I didn’t know how you were adjusting to public school life, Adrien. But after witnessing the extent to which your classmates went through to make sure you were okay, I’m finally satisfied with my decision to allow you to attend school.”  
  
Adrien felt his mouth drop slightly. “W-Wow, Father. I-I don’t know what to say?”  
  
“You have good friends, Adrien.” With that, Gabriel turned to his son and displayed a small, but rare smile.  
  
Adrien couldn’t help but grin, trying his best to suppress the tears that wanted to spill down his face.  
  
Happiness; he was finally feeling the warmth that had disappeared from his life.  
  
Adrien stared down at the last pastry in front of him and couldn’t hold back the grin that wanted to burst itself off of his face.  
  
“W-Would you like to share this croissant with me, Father?”  
  
Gabriel stared at the pastry outstretched to him by his son. He narrowed his eyes slightly at the butter that glazed the crust, but his expression softened as his grey-blue eyes landed on his smiling son. He gave a simple nod. Adrien’s grin grew, if it was even possible, before breaking the croissant in half and handing it over.  
  
As they each bit into the pastry, Adrien couldn’t help but let out a second moan at the warmth that was spreading within him.  
  
He really did have to visit the Dupain-Cheng Bakery properly. Maybe his Father will even come with him one day!  
  
But baby steps.  
  
Adrien glanced up at his Father who turned his head quickly away, picking his tablet back up and perusing through his designs once more; his croissant lay half eaten in his other hand.  
  
Baby steps.  


End file.
